Kalanchoe plant named &#39;FIKALCOTO&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Kalanchoe  plant named ‘Fikalcoto’, characterized by its upright and uniformly mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching plant habit; glossy dark green-colored leaves; uniform, early and freely flowering habit; clear yellow-colored flowers; and excellent postproduction longevity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Kalanchoe plant, botanically known as Kalanchoe blossfeldiana and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fikalcoto’.

The new Kalanchoe is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-branching and freely-flowering Kalanchoe plants with attractive leaf and flower coloration.

The new Kalanchoe plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands in 2011 of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Forever Midi Yellow’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Goldstrike’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Patent number 6,632, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Kalanchoe plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in De Lier, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Kalanchoe plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in De Lier, The Netherlands since 2013 has shown that the unique features of this new Kalanchoe plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Kalanchoe have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, day length and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Fikalcoto’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Fikalcoto’ as a new and distinct Kalanchoe plant:

1. Upright and uniformly mounded plant habit.

2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.

3. Freely branching plant habit.

4. Glossy dark green-colored leaves.

5. Uniform, early and freely flowering habit.

6. Clear yellow-colored flowers.

7. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the female parent, ‘Forever Midi Yellow’. Plants of the new Kalanchoe differ from plants of ‘Forever Midi Yellow’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe are not as vigorous as plants of         ‘Forever Midi Yellow’.     -   2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe have smaller leaves than plants         of ‘Forever Midi Yellow’.     -   3. Plants of the new Kalanchoe have larger flowers than plants         of ‘Forever Midi Yellow’.     -   4. Plants of the new Kalanchoe flower earlier than plants of         ‘Forever Midi Yellow’.     -   5. Plants of the new Kalanchoe and ‘Forever Midi Yellow’ differ         in flower color as plants of ‘Forever Midi Yellow’ have orangish         yellow-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the male parent, ‘Goldstrike’. Plants of the new Kalanchoe differ from plants of ‘Goldstrike’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe are more vigorous than plants of         ‘Goldstrike’.     -   2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe are more freely branching than         plants of ‘Goldstrike’.     -   3. Plants of the new Kalanchoe have larger flowers than plants         of ‘Goldstrike’.     -   4. Plants of the new Kalanchoe flower earlier than plants of         ‘Goldstrike’.     -   5. Plants of the new Kalanchoe and ‘Goldstrike’ differ in flower         color as plants of ‘Goldstrike’ have orangish yellow-colored         flowers.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Fikalsaja’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Patent application filed concurrently. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Kalanchoe differed from plants of ‘Fikalsaja’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe were larger than and not as         compact as plants of ‘Fikalsaja’.     -   2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had darker green-colored stems         than plants of ‘Fikalsaja’.     -   3. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had smaller leaves than plants of         ‘Fikalsaja’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Kalanchoe plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Kalanchoe plant. The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Fikalcoto’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the winter in 10-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Lier, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Kalanchoe production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 19° C. to 20° C. and light levels ranged from 10,000 lux to 50,000 lux. Plants received long day/short night conditions (more than 14 hours of light) for about three weeks then plants received photoinductive short day/long night conditions (minimum 14 hours darkness) until flowering. Plants were 14 weeks old when the photograph was taken and 15 weeks old when the description was taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical Classification:

-   -   Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Fikalcoto’.

Parentage:

-   -   Female, or seed, parent: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Forever Midi         Yellow’, not patented.     -   Male or pollen parent: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Goldstrike’,         disclosed in U.S. Plant Patent number 6,632.

Propagation:

-   -   Type: By vegetative terminal cuttings.     -   Time to initiate roots, summer: About ten days at temperatures         about 21° C.     -   Time to initiate roots, winter: About two weeks at temperatures         about 21° C.     -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer: About 20 days at         temperatures about 21° C.     -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter: About 27 days at         temperatures about 21° C.     -   Root description: Fine, fibrous; greyish white in color.     -   Rooting habit: Freely branching; dense.

Plant Description:

-   -   Plant and growth habit: Upright and uniformly mounded plant         habit; freely flowering habit with numerous cymes positioned         above the foliar plane; inverted triangle with rounded crown;         appropriate for 7.5 to 15.25-cm containers; moderately vigorous         growth habit.     -   Plant height at flowering: About 17 cm.     -   Plant diameter at flowering: About 17 cm.     -   Branching habit: Freely branching habit with usually about five         to seven lateral branches developing per plant; pinching         (removal of the terminal apex) is not required but will enhance         lateral branch development.

Lateral Branch Description:

-   -   Length: About 12 cm to 17 cm.     -   Diameter: About 2 mm to 6 mm.     -   Internode length: About 2 cm to 3 cm.     -   Aspect: Erect.     -   Strength: Moderately strong.     -   Texture: Smooth, glabrous.     -   Color: Close to 137B.

Leaf Description:

-   -   Arrangement: Opposite, simple; generally symmetrical.     -   Quantity per plant: About six to ten mature leaves and about ten         to 14 generative leaves.     -   Length: About 8 cm.     -   Width: About 6 cm.     -   Shape: Ovate to elliptic.     -   Apex: Obtuse.     -   Base: Acute.     -   Margin: Crenate.     -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; coriaceous;         succulent; glossy.     -   Venation pattern: Pinnate.     -   Color:         -   Developing and fully developed leaves, upper surface: Close             to 147A; venation, close to 147A to 147B.         -   Developing and fully developed leaves, lower surface: Close             to 137C; venation, close to 137C.     -   Petioles:         -   Length: About 1.5 cm.         -   Diameter: About 4 mm to 8 mm.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             coriaceous; succulent.         -   Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 147A to 147B.

Flower Description:

-   -   Flower arrangement and habit: Single flowers arranged singly in         axillary cymes; uniform and freely flowering habit with usually         more than 25 open flowers and more than 25 flower buds per         lateral branch and more than 150 open flowers and flower buds         developing per plant; plants flower continuously for at least         six weeks.     -   Fragrance: None detected.     -   Natural flowering season: Plants of the new Kalanchoe initiate         and develop flowers under short day/long night conditions or         during November and December in The Netherlands; flower         initiation and development can also be induced under artificial         short day/long conditions (at least 14 hours of darkness).     -   Time to flower: Early flowering habit, under short day/long         night photoinductive conditions, plants begin flowering about         eight to ten weeks; actual time to flower is primarily dependent         upon temperature and light intensity.     -   Post-production longevity: Excellent post-production longevity;         plants maintain good foliage and flower substance for about 41         days under interior conditions; individual flowers last about 16         days on the plant; flowers persistent.     -   Flower diameter: About 1.8 cm.     -   Flower length (height): About 1.5 cm.     -   Flower buds:         -   Length: About 1.4 cm.         -   Diameter: About 3 mm.         -   Shape: Initially oblong, becoming tubular ovoid with             development.         -   Color: Close to 138C and becoming closer to 12C with             development.     -   Petals:         -   Arrangement: Four in a single whorl.         -   Length: About 8 mm.         -   Width: About 6 mm.         -   Aspect: Flat to somewhat upright.         -   Shape: Ovate.         -   Apex: Acute.         -   Base: Obtuse.         -   Margin: Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color:             -   When opening, upper surface: Close to 12A.             -   When opening, lower surface: Close to 12C to 12D.             -   Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 12A to 12B; color                 becoming closer to 12C with development.             -   Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 12D.     -   Sepals:         -   Appearance: Four in a single whorl.         -   Length: About 8 mm.         -   Width: About 2 mm.         -   Shape: Oblong, pointed.         -   Apex: Acute.         -   Base: Obtuse.         -   Margin: Entire.         -   Aspect: Upright, rigid.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous.         -   Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 138B.     -   Peduncles:         -   Length: About 5 mm.         -   Diameter: About 1 mm.         -   Aspect: Erect, rigid.         -   Strength: Strong.         -   Texture: Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color: Close to 138B.     -   Reproductive organs:         -   Androecium:             -   Stamen number: About eight per flower.             -   Anther shape: Elliptic, flat.             -   Anther length: About 0.3 mm.             -   Anther color: Close to 150D.             -   Amount of pollen: Scarce.             -   Pollen color: Close to 12A.         -   Gynoecium:             -   Pistil number: About four.             -   Pistil length: About 1 mm.             -   Style length: About 1 mm.             -   Style color: Close to 138D.             -   Stigma shape: Flat.             -   Stigma color: Close to 8D.             -   Ovary color: Close to 138D.     -   Seeds:         -   Length: About 0.1 mm.         -   Diameter: About 0.05 mm.         -   Color: Close to 166C.

Temperature Tolerance:

-   -   Plants of the new Kalanchoe have been observed to tolerate         temperatures from about 16° C. to about 35° C.

Pathogen & Pest Resistance:

-   -   Plants of the new Kalanchoe have not been observed to be         resistant to pests and pathogens common to Kalanchoe plants.         It is claimed: 

1. A new and distinct Kalanchoe plant named ‘Fikalcoto’ as illustrated and described. 